beauty & booty

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If you want to experience true BEAUTY, please take a trip to the Pacific Northwest. All that I can say is that this part of the country is so luscious. I know I can be rather frivolous with this word, but for real, I have not experienced this type of natural beauty in my life.

Seattle is a fantastic city that has so many beautiful views. Being able to see Mount Rainier peak through the clouds and the city skyline was unreal. I was so thrilled to see special bike lanes, compost trashcans, and juice bars everywhere. I spent a few days in Seattle, getting to know my best friends new city. We ate tacos and lumpia and the best dankest molten chocolate cake I’ve ever had. The city is so dog-friendly, my heart was pretty much melting the whole time. Also, I never fully realized how much of a marine town Seattle is. Seriously, where have I been? I watched The Real World: Seattle. All clues point to nautical vibes. After we celebrated the Summer Solstice, we took a few days and road-tripped down the 101 West towards the Pacific Ocean! A California girl at heart, I COULD NOT wait to be reunited with the West Coast. We took a few stops along the way and I must say, none of my pictures do these sites any justice. We were so fortunate to have some magical days with that good sun. You’ll just have to experience it for yourself to completely understand! I felt rejuvenated about life after my trip. This is what beautiful scenery and fresh air can do for your soul. I can’t wait to go back!

Four years ago, this blog was started by my friends Adam, Noel, and I. We shared our interests and opinions on things like trips to Key West, hot World Cup athletes, and cute cat videos. We came on pretty strong, but as life would have it, the Luscious momentum waned. I’ve been longing for a Luscious revival and as the Universe would have it, the three Judy’s are back together again! Our momentum is waxing, baby! Cosmic! With a big trip to Key West this year and the World Cup 2014 bringing NU HOTTIES, I am so pleased to see Luscious Judy come full circle.

To complete the Luscious Judy trifecta, I would like to welcome Adam back to the blog!! Not only does this B provide me with beauty products, conspiracy theories, and pictures of sexy babes, he is my astrological advisor. Ruled by Jupiter, this full-blown Sagittarius is honest, generous, and always keeping’ it posi. (He made it official by getting an astro tat last fall.) Since I am prone to only caring about Tauro happenings these days. Adam is always here to remind me that Virgos are drama queens and Pisces’ aren’t actually that bad. With this month’s Full Moon in Sagittarius, who better than to hit us with that astro-realness than this truth-speaker?

HONEY MOON JUDY

I think tattifying my SAG life, with an upward arrow pointing toward one star under my left arm, really solidified my true archer – focused, direct and without waiver. From that point last fall while traveling in Milan, I made a deal with myself to look forward and stay in motion. I started asking bigger questions to myself about my relationships, my work, and – for real – the cosmos!

As tonight marks the Full (Honey) Moon, I look back on the past six months and honestly have felt the cosmos like no other time. Without going into every luscious detail, I will say between Mercury going into retrograde earlier this year and then the two Full Moons of April, I have felt the cosmic effects. The ASTROTWINS say that Mercury Retrograde allows us to renew and review. From work to home, all avenues have been reviewed, renewed and reworked testing my ability to navigate the rockiest of waters. Today I can say the cosmos have helped me ride the waves of uncertainty and stay strong and true to my archy ways.

While Mercury Retrograde approaches once more, I look forward to reviewing the past 6 months and resting for a moment at the place I’ve landed. I think this is a time to reflect on the progress we’ve made and the challenges that lie ahead. This may be daunting for some. However, being true to the past reminds us that we’ve hit rough patches before and made it out alive. Why should the future be any different?

xx, A

Contrary to what you may see in the sky, the Moon will only be FULL at 12:11am on 6/13/14. Literally, one moment. Just a few days shy of the Summer Solstice, this ‘Honey Moon’ got it’s name from the golden hue that it casts from it’s super southern position in the sky. Rumor has it that the term ‘honeymoon’ is derived from this lunar event, as marriage was often compared to the phases of the Moon, back in the day. A wedding and a Full Moon were believed to go hand in hand, as the brightest time in a relationship. Now ain’t that SPECIAL. Regardless of what you believe, we were so inspired by the HONEY MOON that we collaborated on a playlist here at Luscious Judy. It has a little something for everyone, even the ASTROHIPSTERS. ENJOY !

Sorry for the lack of luscious posts! I have been preparing to travel for my upcoming wedding!

Actually, as I type this I am sitting on a plane to Miami. My wedding dress is my carry-on, so all of my makeup is in a checked bag. Ok, that’s a lie, I have a few essential items tucked away. (concealer, mascara, eyebrow brush, teeth whitener, & Baby Lips) This got me thinking about the time that I de-friended a girl on Facebook for saying that putting makeup on in public was unacceptable. I disagree. What do you think?

You won’t catch me contouring at Starbucks, but in the privacy of my seat 6B, I am definitely going to apply makeup. My cue to start is when the pilot says we are descending. I like to look as fresh as possible when I arrive to my destination. If I had put makeup on at 6:15am when I left my house, I would be doing my face an injustice. How do planes make your face dry and oily at the same time? And if I fall asleep in my neck pillow, my eyeliner could be ruined!

I don’t think putting makeup on an airplane makes me tacky or vain, I think it means I am using my time wisely! Plus, I’m positive nobody on the plane is worried about what I’m doing. 🙂

When I found out my sweet little sister bear, Rachel, would be attending The Elbys, an awards ceremony dedicated to Richmond restaurants, I jumped on the chance to be her makeup guru for the night!

The theme for the evening is “The Golden Age of Hollywood” and Rachel’s dress fit the era perfectly. A black maxi dress with white color-blocking and cutouts at the waist and neckline. Rachel and her boyfriend, Craig coordinated their outfits and I LOVE when couples do that. Craig wore maroon chinos with a black corduroy blazer (elbow patches included) with a white dress-shirt. His bow-tie was striped with black, white, purple, and yellow which complimented Rachel’s velvet mustard booties.

In order to prep Rachel’s face after long brunch shift, she did an Tourmaline Radiance Masque by Aveda (after cleansing). Her skin is rather sensitive and the natural exfoliants do not irritate her face. Next, we moisturized her skin with Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil ( ‘Luxury with a conscience.’) To prime Rachel’s face, we used Makeup Forever HD Microperfecting Primer (only the best!) Lastly, we concealed with Laura Geller Real Deal Concealer, chock full of vitamins and provides major coverage!

Now on to the REAL FUN. Rachel got a whole lotta Mally makeup for Christmas and this was the perfect time to bust it all out! Mally is a Hollywood makeup artist whose line can be found on QVC and on her website, Mally Beauty. This makeup veteran designed her line to create long-lasting, flawless looks that anyone can achieve with her high-end products.

For blush, we used NARS Oasis and Tarte Park Avenue Princess for a little contouring and bronzer. Rachel’s face was set with Makeup Forever HD Microfinish Powder. We finished her look with a Agatha, a peachy nude lip by Kat Von D.

(We failed to get a looking downward picture…oops!)

She is absolutely stunning! I had a great time playing with a makeup line that I had never heard of before. My favorite product would have to be the full coverage foundation. Her skin looks impeccable. Isn’t she a sight?

As a makeup junkie, I have more makeup than I know what to do with. Of course, I stick to the same shades and products, so it does not make sense to have SO MUCH makeup that I do not use. Except that I am a borderline hoarder and the thought of cleansing my makeup collection gives me anxiety. I still have a bottle of Pixie glitter that I wore to the Homecoming Dance in 9th grade and while I do not think I’ll be needing it anytime soon, I cannot part with it.

In my opinion, being organized is being luscious. I like the idea of being able to find things where they should be, but it is a concept I have been quite unfamiliar with. I recently purchased a hanging jewelry organizer from Target and deciding where to put all of my makeup thangs was such a fun task for an OCD gal like me. I think being able to SEE most of my products will encourage me to use different things instead of sticking to my essentials. And the fact that I have to get UP and return my products to their new homes will hopefully encourage long-term organization. Wish me luck. (And yes, 4 eyelash curlers are necessary!)

Ever since I was gifted Josie Maran Bear Naked Nail Wipes, I tossed my regular polish remover out of the window and I never plan on going back. Not only is it stinky, flammable, and can ruin the finish on a wood table, but removers with acetone aren’t any good for your nails. The acetone dries your nails out and while it makes it super easy to take off glitter bombs, do you really want to huff chemicals during a polish change?

Not only do these nail wipes remove polish but they replenish dry cuticles with Argan oil and a grapefruit scent. These wipes are intended to promote healthy nail growth with their natural formula. One pad can remove the polish from all 10 nails. At $9.00, this breaks down to .45 cents a pad. It seems expensive considering the generic drugstore brand of acetone polish is probably $1.00.

Josie Maran’s tag line is ‘Luxury with a Conscience.’ Not only is she encouraging organic beauty products but a portion of every sale is donated to the Polar Bear SOS initiative, a project of the NRDC. Wouldn’t you like to say that you’re saving the polar bear race while doing your nails?

I live in a high traffic area where it is likely that I will run into SOMEONE that I know when I take my dog on a walk. It could be my close friend or it could be the security guard from my college dorm. Regardless, I don’t want to be caught looking like I just rolled out of bed (even though I just did) and onto the street.

I have a simple 10 minute look that I like to throw on before I step outside. I might even do this look just to work in the garden. The best part is that I can still build around it (if I have to) when it’s time to put my real face on!

1. Too Faced Primed and Poreless SPF 20 Bronze Tint Skin Smoothing Primer This primer is the best because it has a bronze tint and SPF. What more do I need? Especially when I’m just running out for a minute! The bronzer initially looks super dark, but when applied with a Tarte Airbrush Finish Brush, it blends beautifully.

2. NARS Concealer in Custard I have hereditary dark circles under my eyes, so I am very into creating a soft-focus effect with my concealer. I like NARS concealer because it feels like clay when applied but becomes powdery, therefore creating a dewey look, which is great for morning walks!

3. Kat Von D Waterproof Autograph Pencil in Immortal Love I love all products waterproof, especially ones that are true to their claim! I normally use this as an eyeliner, but for quick brows I like to layer this velvety espresso pencil. It really is smudge-free and since the pencil is so small and cute, I like to keep it in my purse for any eyebrow 911s.

4. YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils I only apply this mascara to my bottom lashes which separates them and gives them a subtle, doll-like look. I didn’t want to get hooked on a pricy mascara, which is why I found a special use for it.

5. Maybelline Baby Lips in Berry Bomb I am obsessed with Baby Lips. I have them in every shade and was super excited when they launched their new Electro colors! Electro makeup is so hot right now, even Hello Kitty was on that train!

I didn’t run into anyone on my walk today but it did start raining and I was super glad my eyebrows didn’t wash off.